North Brookfield Elementary School
| Names: | Daniel Waugh and Ryan Kularski |
| Grades: | Elementary School |
| Description: | We chose to focus on Wachusett Mountain for our math problem because we like to snowboard and Wachusett is a popular place to do that. |
| Concepts: | Whole number operations |
| Grade level | 4-5th |
| Curriculum Framework Learning Standards | 1) Interpret the multiple uses of numbers by taking real-world situations
and translating them into numerical statements. 2) Relate the mathematical language and symbolism of operations to problem situations. 3) Know when to use the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; and describe their relationship. |
Wachusett Mountain
Wachusett Mountain is located in Princeton, MA. In 1969 Ralph Crowley opened Wachusett Mountain. Its peak is 2,006 feet, which would technically make it an official mountain by only 6 feet! The mountain is covered by 100 acres of land. It has18 trails: 30% novice, 40% intermediate, and 30% expert.
TIME IT TAKES TO DRIVE TO WACHUSETT FROM THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:
From Worcester (20 minutes)
From Boston (1 hour)
From Providence (1 1/4 hours)
From Hartford, Ct. (1 1/2 hours)
From Nashua, N.H. (1 1/2 hours)
Wachusett Mountain also has the #1 NASTAR program in New England and one of the top ten programs in the United States of America. NASTAR is the largest ski-racing program in the world. NASTAR opens Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and it costs $5 to go down twice. Wachusett is open from the 22nd of November to April the 9th (19 weeks).
The name "Wachusett" comes from the Algonquin Indian word for "great hill". The Civilian Conservation Corps cut the first trails in the late 1930’s. It’s the highest mountain in Massachusetts east of the Connecticut River. Some of the trees on Wachusett Mountain are over 350 years old!!! The first hotel on the mountains summit was constructed in 1882. A new summit hotel was constructed in1907. Over 600,000 people visit the mountain year round.
Math Problems
Use the data above (below the map of Massachusetts) to figure the following problem:
1) Pretend you are at Wachusett Mountain and you have to travel around to pick up some relatives for a big surprise birthday party there. First, you have to pick up your cousins, Jerry and Tom in Boston. Now you bring them back to Wachusett to get ready for the surprise. Then, you have to go and pick up your two cousins Ashley and Ryan in Providence. You bring them back to Wachusett to help set up. Now you have to go and get the birthday boy and three of his friends back at the house in Hartford, CT. How much time would it take you to get to all those places and go back to Wachusett Mountain? Solution: 7 hours and 30 minutes2) Use the NASTAR data the 2nd to solve the following problem.
If you ski down the mountain 4 times a day during the NASTAR program every single day it is open, how much money are you spending?
Solution: $760.00